Ports USB stop working and then come back online.
Ports USB stop working and then come back online.
I've conducted some research to address my concern, but the results don't quite match what I'm experiencing. It seems my description might not fully capture the problem or the solutions provided. I've put together a detailed account of my situation and the steps I've taken so far, hoping this will help identify the root cause. My main issue involves turning on my gaming PC for the first time in a day. Within 5 to 10 minutes of use, all USB ports disconnect and then reconnect. This occurs consistently when I'm streaming on Spotify or using remote applications like AnyDesk. It happens daily. Besides the USB disconnections, my HD560S headphones produce loud static for a few seconds after reconnection, followed by a temporary drop to 60Hz on the monitor. After restarting, everything works perfectly. I suspect my headphones, motherboard, or RAM might be involved, though I can't confirm this definitively.
I've been working remotely for about a year and invested significantly in my gaming setup. The problem started around that time, possibly due to a faulty component. My system runs Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), and I've reformatted it multiple times without resolving the issue. After switching to Windows 11 Pro (64-bit) and reformatting again, the problem continues. All updates have been applied, yet it persists.
My hardware includes an Intel 12700K processor, Asus RTX 3080 TUF graphics card, H150i Pro XT motherboard, 32GB of GSKill RAM, a Corsair AX1200i keyboard, and several audio devices such as the Shure MV7 mic. I've updated my BIOS to the latest version (1601) and enabled minidump logging, but no errors appear. Despite this, the issue remains unresolved.
I'm concerned about the warranty status of my components, especially since replacing parts might not be feasible if the manufacturer can't replicate the fault. The Windows Event Viewer shows only a few system errors, none of which relate to my problem, and I haven't managed to capture any detailed logs.
I've tried various fixes: removing certain peripherals, stress-testing components, updating drivers, and even swapping parts like the keyboard and USB controllers. However, nothing seems to stick. My main worry is that my CPU, RAM, or motherboard might be beyond warranty, making it hard to get a replacement. I'm at a crossroads, trying different solutions but still stuck.
I received a new laptop, and sometimes the mouse would disconnect and reconnect, which was really annoying. I discovered a program called ProcessHacker that helped me understand what the USB was doing. It turned out that when power levels dropped too low, the USB would disconnect to conserve energy. This behavior was related to my system's power management settings—no, it doesn't seem to help.
I noticed this problem appears repeatedly over several months. After a couple of weeks using Windows 11, I experienced some issues for a few days post-format, then it became more frequent daily. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing it now, but it might be related. My system relies on a basic UPS powered by lead batteries that are about two years old—some wear is evident. I’m considering disconnecting the UPS tonight just to check for unstable power. I’ll test this tomorrow evening and let you know my findings. Thanks for sharing your Process Hacker download—I’m trying to understand how it helped identify the mouse power issue. Where did you explore within the program to spot this?
I also suspect a power issue, so I considered skipping my UPS tonight to test if it makes a difference. The biggest surprise was realizing my USB disconnect/reconnect problem would disappear after restarting the machine—seeming unrelated to power concerns. While my PSU is still functional, it's been around eight years; I'm unsure if it degrades over time or if swapping it would help. As discussed in my initial post, I'm exhausted trying fixes and open to spending money if necessary. My power plan is set to high performance, and I've disabled any USB power-saving features (USB selective suspend is off).
Are you an Amazon Prime member? Consider purchasing a new PSU if the issue persists; otherwise, return it. I’ll also test it on your motherboard. Just make sure to skip the PSU unless necessary.
Luckily I'm from South Africa, and most shops here label items as "You opened/used it, you keep it." I have another gaming machine I could try—specifically the power supply—and see if that solves my issue. It's a very basic setup (old gaming gear) that only runs my Plex, so I'm hoping I have all the PSU cables to power my games. The board has a different chipset, so I can't test it. I could also check my RAM since both systems use DDR4.
It seems like you're considering something positive. What do you think?
only the changes in connectors are visible when devices are frequently connected and disconnected. in your situation this seems to occur constantly, which might not be very helpful. however, it could be useful to observe it on another computer to see what’s happening. if it only happens once a day, it may not be worth investigating further. if you have another machine, try testing the USB connections there and compare the results. to determine if the issue is related to MB, CPU, RAM, GPU, PSU, you might need a replacement, which can become costly. what can you do? if you have any spare parts, consider replacing them first.